Bears topple Hanover to gain D-II final

Monday

Mar 10, 2014 at 10:57 PMMar 10, 2014 at 10:59 PM

By Mike Whaleymwhaley@fosters.com

HOOKSETT — There comes a time during a championship run where a moment presents itself and a team must grab it and, well, run with it. Like the Coe-Brown Northwood Academy girls basketball team did on Monday night in the Division II semifinals at Southern New Hampshire University.

Leading by a single point after three quarters, Abigail Ahern and Debbie Peabody sparked a 12-2 spurt to start the fourth quarter and the No. 6 Bears went on to upset No. 2 Hanover, 56-52.

Coe-Brown (16-5), without a senior on the roster, will play in Friday’s championship at SNHU, 7 p.m., against No. 4 Merrimack Valley, which beat No. 1 Milford, 51-43, in the other semifinal. It is the Bears’ first trip to a final since winning the 2000 Class I title.

The Bears were clinging to a 34-33 lead to start the fourth quarter, a lead that as it turned out they never relinquished. Coe-Brown missed a shot on the first possession of the quarter, after which the Marauders (18-3) misfired on two foul shots.

Enter Ahern and Peabody, both starters on Coe-Brown’s D-II state championship volleyball team last fall.

The two scored all 12 points during a 12-2 run that turned a 34-33 lead into a 46-35 advantage with five minutes to play in the game. The Bears scored on six straight possessions, three times off Hanover turnovers. The Marauders had 24 TOs in the game.

“Things opened up and I think we outran them,” said Ahern of her team’s key spurt. “It made everyone open so we could shot. We got on a rally and just ran with it.”

Ahern scored the first six points on three inside buckets and Peabody, known more for her defense than her offense, hit the next six on two free throws, a 14-footer and a shot in the lane.

“Debbie’s a streak player, but she plays aggressive and that’s what helped turn this game around,” coach David Hartnett said.

“Personally, I’d rather pass,” Peabody said. “But I felt like it was open a lot more because other people around me were trying to get an open space for me.”

Ahern led four Bears in double figures with 15 points and nine boards, while Peabody added 12 points and six steals, Sarah Curtin 11 points and Jenny Schilm 10 points and nine boards.

Peabody was also instrumental in holding Hanover sharpshooter Lexie Hamilton scoreless. The 5-foot-9 sophomore fouled out with 2:50 to play.

“You can thank this kid,” said Hartnett, pointing to Peabody. “She turned into her best friend.”

“I kept low on her and had a lot of help from my teammates who made sure she didn’t have anyone to pass to,” Peabody said.

Coe-Brown three times got the lead to 12 points (49-37, 51-39, 52-40), before Hanover went on its game-ending 12-4 run to cut the margin to four. The Bears shot 12 of 19 from the foul stripe in the fourth quarter — 13 of 25 for the game — and just well enough at the very end to hold off Hanover.

It was suddenly a tough spot for Hanover to be in, down 12 points, after being so close for the first three quarters. But they did make a run and Coe-Brown bent but did not break.

“Now we’re playing for our playoff lives and going fullcourt man to try and get back in the game,” said Hanover coach Dan O’Rourke. “I told my kids if we had five more timeouts I think we could have caught them.”

Eileen Daley led Hanover with 15 points and 16 rebounds, while JJ Daniell added 12 and Christine Croitoru had 11. The Marauders shot 13 of 26 from the foul line, but only 7 of 16 in the second half.

“I looked at their free throws at the end of the third quarter,” Hartnett said, “If they made their free throws, we might still be playing right now.”

It was nip and tuck for the first three quarters. Coe-Brown led after the first quarter, 8-5, 24-23 at the half, and 34-33 after three quarters.

The Bears started the season 3-3, but have gone 13-2 since — one of those losses a 41-34 setback to Merrimack Valley on Jan. 31.